Community First Choice (CFC) PAS/Hab hours

What is Community First Choice?

Community First Choice (CFC) provides certain services and supports to individuals living in the community who are enrolled in the Medicaid program and meet CFC eligibility requirements.

Services and supports may include:

• Personal Assistance Services (PAS):
  • help with activities of daily living (ADLs) (eating, toileting, and grooming),
  • activities related to living independently in the community, and
  • health-related tasks;
• Habiliation (Hab):
  • acquisition, maintenance, and enhancement of skills necessary for the individuals to care for themselves and to live independently in the community;

Who can get Community First Choice services?

To be eligible for Community First Choice services an individual must:

• Be eligible for Medicaid.
• Need help with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing and eating.
• Need an institutional level of care.

Steps to Apply for CFC

1. Have Medicaid (here are some Options to get Medicaid)
2. Complete the institutional level of care (LOC)
   • If your main reason for needing assistance is a physical disability, your Medicaid Managed Care Organization will complete the LOC.
   • If your main reason for needing assistance is an Intellectual or Developmental Disability, your local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority (LIDDA) will complete the LOC.
     • The LIDDA for Harris county is The Harris Center – Here is a handout about CFC created by the Harris Center
     • The LIDDA for Galveston County is The Gulf Coast Center
3. Request CFC through your Medicaid Managed Care Organization service coordinator
   • Each MCO gets to decide what document they use to determine how many CFC hours you need…. if you don’t agree, use this tool to justify your hours.
     • For CLASS, the tool used for justifying PAS/Hab is Form 3595, PAS/Habilitation Plan – CLASS/DBMD/CFC.
     • After you figure out how long each task takes per week, you will be able to more clearly explain this to your Service Coordinator.
   • If you disagree with the number of hours, ask your Service Coordinator for a form to appeal. You can submit your own evidence to support your request.